Algerian National Television Company discusses Ramadan programming

21/09/2006

Algerian National Television Company CEO Hamraoui Habib Chawki talked about Ramadan programming during a September 16th press conference. The slogan will be "Algerianness, togetherness and diversity in a context of piety and tolerance".

By Lyes Aflou for Magharebia in Algiers – 21/09/06

[File] Chawki said Ramadan programming will cater to all Algerians.

Hamraoui Habib Chawki, CEO of Algeria's National Television Company (ENTV), explained during a Saturday (September 16th) press conference in Algiers that Ramadan television programming will be presented under the slogan "Algerianness, togetherness and diversity in a context of piety and tolerance." He said the schedule caters to the needs of a broad range of Algerian viewers, who watch national television in large numbers during the month of Ramadan.

Chawki noted Algerian productions will comprise 71.49% of programming, while Arab and western programming will make up the rest.

He also expressed satisfaction with advertising revenues, which were sufficient to cover production for the coming month.

Programming manager Djamel Berrabah, provided an overall breakdown of shows scheduled for Ramadan. He explained that programming decisions had been made according to the main criteria of "Algerianness": suitability for family viewing, a wide variety of genres (with preference being given to comedy, fiction and religious programmes), and appropriateness for Ramadan.

Following an assessment of last year's Ramadan schedule, Berrabah said this year would see some restructuring, including the news being moved from 8pm to 8:30pm "due to the fact that the call to signal the end of fasting will be at 6:45pm on the first day of Ramadan".

Evening broadcasts will include Arab drama series, religious documentaries, comedy programmes and comedies. Mohamed Aziza's "Khaled Ibn El Walid", Ahmed Saqr's "Ana El Awan", starring singer Warda, and "El-Dhaher Bibars" will be among the new Arab drama series broadcast. Documentaries and entertainment programmes such as "Djelsset Tareb" and "Hna Flahna" will also be shown.

Berrabah announced that the 540 hours of Ramadan programming will be broken down into informative programmes (77 hours), educational and cultural programmes (141 hours) and entertainment (302 hours).

Arabic will be spoken in 93.33% of programmes, with 1.11% being in French and 5.55% in Amazigh.

A nationwide survey of 3,305 people aged 16 or older suggested that 25 million Algerians watched ENTV during Ramadan last year. It concluded that "Algerians watch a huge amount [of television] and much more ENTV than usual during Ramadan". Viewers spent an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes per day watching Algerian television during Ramadan, while they usually spend an average of only 3 hours and 17 minutes.

The next-most popular channels in Algeria during Ramadan are Canal-Algerie, Al-Jazeera and Dubai-TV.